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LIN (Local Interconnect Network) is a cost-effective, serial communication system for distributed electronic control units in vehicles. The LIN protocol is specified by the LIN consortium, of which Vector is an Associated Member.
Features and Advantages:
Increasing software complexity makes it advantageous to implement standardized software components. Vector's know-how acquired in developing and working with other protocols has been utilized throughout the development of LIN components:
- Standard components based on a portion of the generated code are scalable for application-specific requirements
- Automatic generation of parameter settings and configurations
- Runtime efficiency
- Low demand for ROM and RAM memory
- Simple interfacing to the application software
- Compatibility with other Vector products including analysis, simulation, and calibration tools
- Support of LIN 1.2/1.3, LIN 2.0 and the recently released LIN 2.1 specification
- Support of multi-channel LIN configurations
LIN networks are described in the LDF (LIN Description File) format according to the "LIN Configuration Language Specification". This includes all of the information needed to define signals, messages, baudrate, and schedule tables. Vector's configuration tool GENy is used to adapt all LIN components to ECU-specific requirements. The tool imports either LDFs or NCFs (Node Capability File) for parameterization.
Modifications and settings in detail:
- Adaptation of ECU-specific parameters to the network design
- Configuration of the LIN driver to the properties of the specific ECU, e.g. oscillator frequency, UART, etc.
- Configuration of diagnostic services for LIN Slave ECUs
- Definition of message and signal callbacks
This makes it possible to create an individually configured LIN stack. The object codes of the LIN software components must be compiled and linked with the application. Vectors LIN simulation and analysis tools are available for integration, analysis, and for test purposes. For physical bus access one of Vector's XLI-Interface products can be purchased; these products serve as universal, serial bus interfaces for the LIN bus.
Timing control of the LIN software components is achieved by having tasks called periodically by the application or an operating system. Therefore the LIN driver does not require any auxiliary timers.
Functions:
The fundamental objective of the implementation is to provide an interface that is easy to use and satisfies all applications. The standardized interface offers these features:
- Initialization of the LIN hardware
- Configurable baudrate (Recommended: 2400, 9600, and 19200 Baud)
- Sending of LIN messages (confirmation by flags and callback functions)
- Receiving of LIN messages (notification by flags and callback functions)
- Sleep and wakeup handling
- Protocol error handling
- Timeout monitoring of messages
- Checking of runtime behavior during the development phase (debugging)
Application Areas:
LIN was developed to round out a collection of automotive protocol standards, but it has been adopted in other areas as well, such as automation engineering. The focus is on cost-effective communication networks for ECU subsystems with low data rates. LIN therefore supplements existing bus protocols over the long term.
What is CANbedded LIN?
The Vector CANbedded LIN environment consists of a number of adaptive source code components that cover the basic communication requirements to be applied in the LIN environment.
